3rd August 2014

Believing What Comes Naturally

“We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty.”1 Peter 1:16 (NIV UK)

Is it unnatural to believe in God? Atheists confidently claim that atheism is the only logical and natural position for a human being, unless his or her mind has been polluted by exposure to religion.

Richard Dawkins in his book, The God Delusion, wrote “You Christians reject all the gods of history except one—we atheists just deny one god more.” He seems to think this will convince us to agree with his point of view. After all, we reject, Ashteroth, Molech, Jupiter, and all the rest, so isn’t it logical also to reject just one more God?

Ravi Zacharias points out the flaw in this reasoning. He showed how Dawkins’ argument is the equivalent to saying when we consider the mates of other people we know, we can see that marriage is illogical, unnatural. So we should also reject the one person we have chosen to be committed to, and become celibate. The difference between celibacy and monogamy is not merely a matter of degrees; they are virtually opposite positions. Professor Dawkin’s reasoning is obviously flawed.

It saddens me that people’s faith in God can be undermined by this kind of false reasoning. The ideas of atheists are given wide publicity. But you don’t hear so much about evidence which contradicts them.

For example, have you heard about the research of psychologist Olivera Petrovich? She has found empirical evidence that, far from having a natural proclivity for atheism, infants seem naturally to incline toward belief in some kind of God. Her research is illustrated by the experience of Helen Keller, who became blind and deaf when she was only a few months old. Helen was cut off from all normal contact until a dedicated teacher, Annie Sullivan, unlocked her mind. Helen grew up to become a gifted writer and speaker, and eventually she became a Christian. Writing about her understanding of God during her childhood years of silence and darkness, Helen wrote “I always knew He was there, but I didn’t know His name!”

So you see, the idea that atheism is our natural default position, and a belief in God is abnormal just isn’t true.

The Bible warns us not to be led astray by ‘cunningly devised fables’. Arguments based on flawed logic and contrived arguments are no threat to genuine faith. Remember—atheists must do more than just cast doubt. They must prove that God doesn’t exist. They haven’t done this, because they can’t. And they won’t.

Prayer
Holy Father, thank you for revealing yourself in all your majesty to us. We know that we don’t follow hollow fables, cunning untruths; we have been led to the One God. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen

Study by Joseph Tkach

__________________________________________________________

About the Author:Joseph Tkach is the President of Grace Communion International (the Denominational name of The Worldwide Church of God UK), and resides in California, USA.

You are welcome to attend one of our local Church congregations located throughout the UK and Ireland. For details of your nearest local congregation, check on our website, www.wcg.org.uk under the ‘Churches’ tab, or ring +44 (0)1858 437099.